


To Make You Burn With Color

by Mosspool13



Series: Leokumi Week [4]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Falling In Love, Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest Spoilers, M/M, Nohr | Conquest Route, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-06-07 20:32:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6822958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mosspool13/pseuds/Mosspool13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The war taught Leo many different things about seeing the color of others’ magic. He learnt that the colors were reminiscent of a person’s inner heart. The magic, no matter how weak or nearly nonexistent, was an aura of the person’s soul. Everyone had a soul, so everyone had a color. </p><p>Everyone but Prince Takumi of Hoshido.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Make You Burn With Color

**Author's Note:**

> Day 4: Color/ Blind

Ever since Leo was born, he’d been privy to the magical aura of the world. 

Magic was _life_. It was Leo’s life. It rose from his fingertips, churning in his gut, and shone in his eyes. 

As he’d grown into his power, along with it came this _knowing._ Magic was colorful. 

Xander, tall and firm and regal, though he was a master swordsman, he had a faint magic that Leo could sense and see. His magic hummed around him in a pale purple. It centered around his Siegfried in battle, rising and clamoring like fierce thunder. 

Camilla had almost no magic, but her aura was a pale rose color that clung to her hair. Leo knew it was weak, but Camilla’s strength was in her smile, her ruthlessness and her passion. 

Elise had magic like Leo’s, though she strayed towards healing rather than fighting. She wasn’t as powerful as Leo, unable to see the colors of magic with her eyes, or sense it from others around her, but her magic was yellow and blinding and so bright that if Leo stared too long he knew he might never be able to look away again. 

Corrin’s magic was green. It was centered around the heart, and when Corrin received the dragonstone, it coalesced there instead. It was a magic that clung and changed shape and Leo was struck by its nature. Corrin was the only one who could change shape from man to dragon, and the magic responded to that. Leo, if he was honest to himself, was a little jealous of that fact. 

The war taught Leo many different things about seeing the color of others’ magic. He learnt that the colors were reminiscent of a person’s inner heart. The magic, no matter how weak or nearly nonexistent, was an aura of the person’s soul. Everyone had a soul, so everyone had a color. 

Everyone but Prince Takumi of Hoshido. 

When Leo first saw him on the battlefield that day when Corrin stood in the center of their two families, Leo could see the blue aura of Prince Ryoma’s magic, slicing like lightning from his Raijinto. Princess Hinoka had a faint magic that was red and fiery and frankly _loud_. Leo had to squint as his eyes passed over it. Princess Sakura’s magic was a pure white and soft, like clouds or snow, but Prince Takumi had nothing. He was blank. He was empty. He had absolutely no magic. 

Was it he had no human heart? No soul to speak of? 

Corrin chose Nohr. Leo watched the anger and betrayal that flowed through the Hoshidan royal family, it made their magic swarm and fight and blaze around them. But Leo watched Prince Takumi the closest. Though his face contorted with rage, his eyes wide and furious and his lips a snarl, he was still blank and empty and colorless. Leo saw nothing leap out to wrap around his Fuujin Yumi as he raised his bow to fire. He saw nothing fling from his fingers, or fly from his arrow. Prince Takumi was empty, and Leo could see his nothing and knew it all. 

\------ 

While Corrin followed Father’s orders in order to prove themselves, Leo and Zola were sent to Hoshido. Zola, with his magic capable of disguise, would allow Leo to infiltrate the Hoshidan cities and capital to gain information from the citizens and follow the trail of the Hoshidan army. 

Leo knew the risks of trying to infiltrate the Hoshidan army directly were too great to try. His magic might wear off and reveal his disguise. He couldn’t trust Zola’s smarmy magic to keep him hidden for too long, and his appearance was too well known to the Hoshidan royals that he would certainly be recognizable in the event that an accident occurred. If Leo had a magic similar to Zola’s, he’d be confidant to try but Zola is small-minded and sleazy, and though Father might be fine with using him, Leo was not. He wanted as little to do with Zola as possible. 

He found a village near the border between Hoshido and Nohr to split ways with Zola and don his disguise. His hair darkened and his clothes changed. He lost his usual armor and gained a typical Hoshidan outfit that felt soft on his skin. His skin tone darkened to match the Hoshidan’s complexion and his hair lengthened enough he had to pin it back to his nape with a ribbon. It was strange to have long hair and a shorter, stockier build. His sense of balance was off ever so slightly and he _felt_ shorter, but he couldn’t complain since the Hoshidans he walked past seemed to accept him. 

A few days past, and he learned a few tidbits of information here and there. He learnt of the Hoshidan army readying to travel to Nohr. He learnt that it would be led directly by the royal siblings. What he didn’t learn, was that he might come face to face with one in middle of the village. 

Prince Takumi was as blank and magic-less as he had been on the battlefield. Leo almost didn’t notice him. He was so used to seeing color to identify people that a blank space in his line of sight made him think that there was no one there _to_ see. It was a mistake, for he collided straight into the Hoshidan prince. They both toppled to the ground, Leo falling onto his back and Takumi forward to land on top of him with an “oof”. 

Prince Takumi’s arms boxed Leo in where they were pressed against the ground beside the sides of Leo’s face. Leo grimaced, staring up into wide, surprised brown eyes. 

“Ah, sorry!” Prince Takumi scrambled away. 

Leo huffed, opening his mouth to make a cutting remark but paused when he saw that Prince Takumi was holding out a hand for him to take. He was momentarily taken aback by the gesture. Why would Prince Takumi want to help up a Nohrian? And then he remembered, he didn’t look like a Nohrian anymore. Feeling more than a little stupid, Leo took Prince Takumi’s hand and let the shorter (although taller in this disguise) prince help him to his feet. He dropped Prince Takumi’s hand as soon as he was standing. 

“Thank you.” Leo said, glancing up. Prince Takumi was staring at him curiously and it was a strange look considering the last time they had seen each other, Prince Takumi had been spitting rage at him and his siblings. 

“I’ve never seen you in this village before. Are you a traveler?” He asked, eyes blinking and innocent. Leo frowned at the question and the way Prince Takumi was staring at him. He didn’t like the open curiosity or the gentle way Prince Takumi’s face looked. 

“I am a traveler.” Leo answered, playing it safe. He didn’t know how often Prince Takumi or his other siblings visit this village. It would be best to allow Prince Takumi to come to his own conclusions about Leo, and for Leo to confirm them as vaguely as possible. 

Prince Takumi nodded, stance open and nonthreatening, and Leo couldn’t help letting his fingers brush against Brynhildr hidden beneath his coat. He was relieved that he had decided to keep Brynhildr on his person, hidden but there, in case he needed it. Brynhildr kept him calm, and it helped him feel safe in the event he might need to fight. 

Leo’s eyes lingered on Prince Takumi’s hip, where he had a sword clasped. His famous bow wasn’t in sight and Leo almost twitched with the knowledge that if he killed Prince Takumi here, and now, that would be one less Hoshidan to worry about. Leo was at an advantage here with Prince Takumi armed with a secondary weapon. Leo was certain he could strike fast enough that the other prince wouldn’t be able to react fast enough. But they were out in the open, and even if he did decide to kill him, news would spread fast and though they would be rid of a capable bowman, it would rise the ire and hatred of the Hoshidans even further. Whatever plans they might have created would fly out the window, and all of Leo’s work and secrecy would be useless in that event.

Leo pulled his hand away from Brynhildr just as a voice called out Prince Takumi’s name. He turned around to look over his shoulder and Leo followed his gaze to see two soldiers heading their way. One was a woman with long blue-black hair tied in a high ponytail and a spear at her side. The other, the one who’d shouted Prince Takumi’s name, was a man with muscles and a sword. His hair was pulled back in a complicated fashion with what looked like sticks and he had scars along his sleeveless arms and shoulders. 

Prince Takumi grimaced and then turned to Leo, suddenly looking apologetic. “Pardon me,” he said right before he grabbed Leo’s hand. Leo was so shocked he didn’t immediately react when Prince Takumi yanked him forwards and then started running. Leo stumbled after him, confused and bewildered. When they’d escaped behind a building, hiding in the shadows of overhanging tiled roofs, Prince Takumi heaving against the wall and Leo breathing harshly himself, Leo realized that Prince Takumi still had a tight hold on his hand. Leo roughly yanked his hand from Prince Takumi’s grasp, massaging his knuckles and frowning with distaste. 

Prince Takumi blinked and smiled. “Oh, sorry.” He laughed a little and Leo blinked, gaining control of himself enough that he didn’t let his jaw drop as Prince Takumi continued, “Those were my retain—uh, friends.” His eyes crossed comically for a moment and then he continued, sounding exasperated, “I told them I was just going to take a walk around and they insisted that they follow me. When I told them I wanted to be alone they refused to let me out of their sight. I had to lose them in the crowd on the way here. I wanted a little time alone, how hard is that to understand?” 

He sounded bitter, annoyed, frustrated and the tone of voice and the way his face scrunched up was familiar to Leo. He had seen a similar expression on the battlefield and it eased some of the tension that had been making Leo stand straighter and tighter, as if he were back in Castle Krakenburg. 

He let his shoulders relax, hoping to project an aura of calm for his secret identity, and shrugged, “It sounds like they’re worried about you.” 

“Yeah, and it’s annoying.” Prince Takumi’s eyes narrowed but he closed them and sighed. “I know they are. I don’t fault them. I just need to be on my own to think every once and awhile.” He glanced up at Leo, suddenly looking apologetic. “Sorry I dragged you with me. I wasn’t really thinking.” He looked down at his feet and scuffed the ground with one of his toes. 

“It’s… fine.” Leo ground out. It wasn’t, and he didn’t have time to deal with a childish prince, but if he could learn secrets by coaxing them from Prince Takumi’s own mouth… perhaps things had worked out better than expected. Leo eyed Prince Takumi and effected a bored but curious tone of voice as he asked, “you said they were your friends?” 

“Oh, yeah,” Prince Takumi looked sheepish again. “Sort of. We are friends, but it’s their duty to look after me too.” His nose scrunched up again. “I trust them, but I can look after myself too, and I think they forget that sometimes.” 

Leo nodded, not really caring about the weird complicated relationship between Prince Takumi and his retainers, because Leo wasn’t stupid and Prince Takumi was a terrible liar. Instead he pushed a little harder. “What did you need to be alone for?” 

Prince Takumi’s face clouded and his jaw tensed. His eyes darkened a sliver and Leo recognized _this_ expression exactly. It’d been the face he’d shone when Corrin had chosen Nohr over Hoshido. It’d been the look he’d let slip right before his face had twisted with rage. Leo almost expected a flutter of magic to shimmer across Prince Takumi’s eyes, then, but Leo again realized just how stagnant and blank Prince Takumi looked. If he’d had magic, would his eyes light up with a reddish hue? A fire like his sister’s? Or perhaps his magic would manifest like Prince Ryoma’s lightning? Blue and sizzling? 

His attention significantly distracted, Leo nearly missed Prince Takumi’s answer. “There are some things I can’t discuss with my family.” He said slowly, as if each word was caught in his throat and it was taking a considerable effort for him to release them. “They don’t understand how much I…” He trailed off, looking to the side, his hands clenched in tight fists at his sides and his shoulders were shaking. 

Leo’s eyebrows rose. Prince Takumi had come across as abrasive, emotional, blinded by his distrust, but he had never seemed _vulnerable_. Leo felt uncomfortable in a way he had never felt before. To see one’s enemy looking so weak was one step towards learning their secrets, learning how to defeat them. He didn’t know why seeing Prince Takumi looking so fragile made him want to avert his eyes. 

Leo’s words were falling from his lips before he even registered what he was proposing, “I’ll be in town for a few days…” Prince Takumi looked up, eyes wide and glistening slightly, “so if you need someone to keep you company, I don’t mind.” Leo hurried to add, “You don’t need to speak, even.” Leo could see out of the corner of his eye his magic jumping across his fingers. He was nervous for all the wrong reasons. He _needed_ Prince Takumi to talk. He needed to know his tactics, and where the army planned to go next. 

A part of his mind whispered, _If you befriend him, then he would be more likely to spill some of those answers._

Leo followed that part eagerly, relieved by its familiar presence. 

Prince Takumi’s eyes were narrowed. He looked confused and a little suspicious, but his words were, “Why would you want to spend time with me?” 

Leo shrugged, falling back into familiar territory as he pulled up a mask of indifference, a mask he was familiar wearing, “You dragged me behind a building. I’m here now, you might as well use me.” He didn’t like the words but they rolled off his tongue anyway. Leo was versatile, and though it hurt his pride to say them, he was not adverse to it. It would further his newfound goal. If he framed it as Prince Takumi using him, then he could plead ignorance if Prince Takumi accused him of anything in the future.

Prince Takumi still looked unsure, but he matched Leo’s gaze with his own and after a moment finally nodded, sticking out his hand. Leo stared down at it. He was already tired of holding hands with the Hoshidan prince, he really didn’t need a third time. Yet, he pressed his palm against Takumi’s anyway. Takumi’s hand was warm in his and the Hoshidan prince’s grasp was firm. 

“Takumi.” Prince Takumi said. 

“Leon.” Leo said, wincing at his lack of creativity. Takumi’s brow furrowed but he said nothing in response. 

“We’ll meet here tomorrow.” Leo declared, instead of waiting for Takumi to say anything more. 

“Yes.” Takumi said, and gave Leo a small smile. 

\------

When they met the second time, Leo could only categorize it as awkward. Takumi had been leaning against the wall, arms crossed and eyes faraway. When Leo had approached, he’d turned his head and then scrambled off the wall into a stiffer stance.

“Hey.” He said, flushing a little. 

Leo raised an eyebrow, mouth twitching. “Hi.” 

“So…” Takumi trailed off, looking everywhere but at Leo. Leo rolled his eyes. If this was how a prince of Hoshido acted, how was he going to succeed in political negotiations? _He probably lets his mouth do the talking rather than his brain._ Leo thought with amusement. 

Pitying Takumi for no other reason than Leo would rather banish the rapidly rising awkwardness of the situation, he motioned to the ground, “I’m going to sit here and read. You can stand or sit or lean against the wall if you want. I won’t speak and you don’t need to, either.” He winced inwardly at that. He needed Takumi to speak if he was going to learn anything, but Leo had patience. If he was trying to befriend Takumi, it would take more than a single meeting to get him to talk. 

Takumi nodded, looking a little bewildered but also relieved. He returned to his stance of leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and Leo sat down cross-legged and slipped a book from underneath his cloak. 

They stayed like that for a while, Leo reading and Takumi’s quiet presence beside him. It was still awkward, Leo could see Takumi shifting every now and again out of his peripheral, but Leo ignored it and read as if he hadn’t a single care for what Takumi decided to do. Takumi eventually seemed to relax. His fidgeting came to a near stop (minus this little tap thing he did with his foot that was starting to drive Leo a little mad but Leo grit his teeth and ignored it) and his breathing evened out. 

The silence began to soothe even Leo’s fraying nerves. He soon absorbed himself in his reading, and nearly almost completely forgot about Takumi standing beside him. Usually, a person’s magical aura was enough of a distraction that Leo couldn’t quite settle down. Magical aura is always moving. It jumps and strikes out when it’s in use, or when emotions are high. Leo has always been able to see it, out of the corner of his eye or he can feel its presence. But Takumi, with his colorless and blank slate, is a reprieve from the vibrancy that lights up Leo’s vision. It’s nice, Leo thinks, to be able to take a moment and see the world how others see it. Bland. Quiet. Still. 

Leo is actually near to dozing; the usual magical energy around him suddenly silent for once and not having it buzzing around him is making him feel relaxed and drowsy. When a touch to his shoulder startles him into wakefulness, he immediately tenses and his hand moves so fast to his side, where Brynhildr is tucked there neatly. 

The magic has almost passed through his fingers to the cover of his tome when Takumi’s voice calls out, “I didn’t mean to startle you, I just was wondering what you were reading.” 

Leo wills his magic back before it can strike out. It hisses and slithers back from his hands, leaving them tingling and he takes a deep breath to calm his racing heartbeat as he turns his eyes up to meet Takumi’s brown gaze. 

Leo has never been startled like that before. The only one who has been able to catch him off guard, besides his siblings when they tease him about his clothing (Leo takes a moment to roll his eyes at Corrin and Xander’s knowing grins from last time), is Niles, and that was because his retainer had an uncanny ability of sneaking up on people. Knowing about Leo’s magical sight had made the challenge of actually succeeding and sneaking up on his liege all the more entertaining for him. 

Leo looks at Takumi warily. He wonders if Takumi’s colorless aura is perhaps a strength rather than a weakness. If Leo can be caught unaware by him because of it, perhaps Leo should take the other prince more seriously. 

Instead of saying anything that might give away his unease, Leo tilts the cover of his book towards Takumi, “It’s a technical read. I doubt you’ll find it interesting.” 

“You’d be surprised.” Takumi says, sounding impatient, but then he asks, “This is a magical theory text. Are you a mage?” 

Leo feels himself stiffen. Had he really been so careless as to allow Takumi to discover he is a mage? Leo knows the correct term in Hoshido for those with strong magical talent and training is Diviner or Onmyoji. There are other types, such as Monks, Priestesses and Basaras. The fact that Takumi had said _mage_ makes Leo’s fingers tremble and his magic flare up in defense. 

He needs to play this carefully if he isn’t to reveal his Nohrian heritage. Leo takes a deep breath and lifts his head to meet Takumi’s eyes. Takumi doesn’t look angry but his mouth is flat and his expression is stiff. Of the faces Takumi has made in Leo’s presence, this is the expression that unnerves him the most. It looks _wrong_ on Takumi’s face. Takumi is supposed to be expressing his emotions. His anger, hatred, even his vulnerability were all easy and plain on his face. This is an expression Leo has seen in the mirror, but it looks foreign on Takumi’s face. 

“I am a traveler.” Leo repeats what he’d told Takumi the other day. “I have some talent with magic,” he lies smoothly, already calming down enough that his magic won’t lash out, “but I am not trained. I have traveled through Nohr, neutral territories and Hoshido in order to study magic but I do not wish to use it. I am a scholar, not a fighter.” Memories of battles, of Brynhildr’s dark cover in his hand and his magic swarming from his fingers, of the cries and screams of the dying, of his siblings riding beside him, fill his mind. He closes his eyes and wills them away. 

Takumi is looking at him thoughtfully now. His expression has smoothed out of the cold frigid ice it’d looked before. “I can respect your desire to learn.” He says first, nodding at the book still clutched tightly in Leo’s grasp. “Though I don’t know why you’d want to read anything so vile as what Nohrians have written.” His face holds a disdain that Leo wants to argue with but he refrains by digging his nails into his palm. “If I had magical talent.” Takumi goes on and this makes Leo look up. “I’d want to use it for my family.” 

Leo’s curiosity gets the better of him. “You don’t have any magical talent?”

Takumi shakes his head. “None.” He hesitates before he adds, “I’m an archer. My bow is… special. It can conjure winds and its arrows pierce just a little deeper and fly just a little faster than a normal bow.” Takumi’s expression becomes complicated at this admission and Leo watches the way Takumi’s eyes darken with an emotion he can’t decipher. “The bow is magical, and though it chose me as its wielder I don’t use any magic when I wield it.” Takumi looks down at his hand. “I’m pretty sure any strength I show while using it is just the bow. It’s not my strength… not at all.” 

Leo is surprised by the admission that falls from Takumi’s mouth. Had Hoshidan’s youngest prince always been this insecure? Leo had only met him the once, on that battlefield. The raw power of the Fuujin Yumi was obvious, and Leo had been frantic to avoid Takumi’s rage-induced volleys while the fight had gone on. He’d been impressed by Takumi’s strength, but it seems Takumi doesn’t believe that his own power fuels the sacred bow as much as it does. Leo, master of Brynhildr, knows that it is his magic that allows Brynhildr to function the way it does. Without Leo’s talent and genius, Brynhildr would be near useless. His magical score is high and his mind is sharp, and only the smartest and the strongest mage can cast with Brynhildr. He knows this for a fact. He’s seen Odin try to use Brynhildr before and utterly fail. 

Leo almost wants to assure Takumi that he is stronger than he believes he is if he can use the Fuujin Yumi as effortlessly as he had that day. However, if Leo says anything he’ll have to admit that either he knows Takumi’s real identity as the prince of Hoshido or that he’s seen Takumi use the Fuujin Yumi before, and that can lead to too many questions and no good answers. 

So instead, Leo nudges the book in his hand into Takumi’s and raises an eyebrow at the other prince, “If you want to become stronger, than you should study and train. You want to see if you have magical talent?” Leo pokes the cover of the book. “Read this and find out how you can strengthen yours.” 

Takumi might be right that he has absolutely no magical talent, if his colorless aura is anything to go by. But Leo knows for a fact that all beings have magic. Magic is the soul. Some have stronger stores of it, and others don’t have the ability to conjure it, but it’s there in everything. Takumi is emotional and vulnerable. There is no conceivable way he does not have a soul. So his magic must be somewhere inside of him. Leo will just nudge him in the right direction, and maybe Takumi can find it. 

Takumi looks down at the book, fingering the pages for a moment before he looks up at Leo with something like disbelief in his eyes. “You think it’s as simple as that?”

Leo shrugs. “You won’t know unless you try.” 

Takumi nods his agreement and opens to the first chapter. Leo has read quite far into the book already, but he pushes a little closer to Takumi’s side so he can read along with the other prince. 

Will his magic be yellow like Elise’s? Bright and wholesome? Or perhaps he’ll share his sister’s pure white magic? Will his magic be straw-colored like his hair? 

Leo doesn’t realize he might be helping his enemy discover something that could help him on the battlefield until after they have parted for the day. By that point, Leo is unsure if he regrets his actions or not. 

\---------

The next few meetings go similarly. The initial meet-up is awkward. Takumi is still unnatural and Leo is both amused and wary. They settle into their usual places, Takumi leaning against the wall while Leo sits on the ground and reads. Now, after a few times, Takumi has taken to bringing along his own books. Every now and again they share, but most of the meetings are quiet with the occasional small talk. 

Takumi tells Leo about his retainers. He doesn’t call them his retainers, still sticking to his overprotective friends story, but Leo learns their names: Oboro and Hinata. He learns that Hinata and Takumi duel sometimes (it reminds him of Corrin and Xander, and Leo can’t help but smirk to himself. He wonders how Corrin is doing on the mission.) And that Oboro is apparently the one who helps pick out Takumi’s clothing. 

Takumi had blushed when he admitted this, and Leo had mentioned, offhand, that he has the tendency to put his clothing on backwards. He doesn’t know why he tells Takumi this, but the relieved and triumphant smile Takumi shoots him afterwards makes him feel like it was worth the embarrassment. 

Leo has also learned that Takumi is very much a tactile individual. Sometimes, while they are reading together, Takumi would press their shoulders together. Whenever Takumi would go to sit down, he would put his hand on Leo’s shoulder before he sat down. When they exchange books, their hands would brush. And even while parting, instead of a quick nod which Leo prefers, he always sticks out his hand for a handshake. 

It’s disconcerting and it’s annoying, but Leo finds he doesn’t mind too much. 

When Leo arrives to the meeting today, he finds Takumi looking downright miserable. He has dark bags under his eyes and his face is pale. Leo’s first words after Takumi’s typical awkward hello are, “You look horrible.”

Takumi scowls. “Thanks for that.” 

Leo raises an eyebrow mockingly, but his voice is uncharacteristically soft when he asks, “Not get enough sleep?” 

Takumi doesn’t answer, but that is answer enough. Leo nods and sits down without another word and Takumi, looking relieved, leans up against the wall. 

Leo tsks at him. “No you don’t, get down here.” 

Takumi looks bewildered and doesn’t move so Leo snorts and tugs harshly on Takumi’s pant leg, unbalancing the prince until he finally sits down beside Leo with another scowl. 

“What was that for?” He growls, irritable. 

“You’re going to sleep.” Leo orders and Takumi pauses and then begins to look furious. He opens his mouth to argue but Leo takes a fistful of Takumi’s shirt and yanks him harshly so that his upper body falls roughly into Leo’s lap. 

Takumi begins to splutter, indignation and disbelief sure to rise from his protests but Leo shushes him with a glare. “Sleep, Takumi.” He orders. 

Takumi glares up at Leo. “What if I don’t want to?”

Leo rolls his eyes, openly so that Takumi can see how unimpressed he is, and puts his hand on Takumi’s forehead to keep him from getting up. Takumi growls and tries to push Leo off anyway, but Leo holds firm and Takumi really isn’t trying as hard as he could since Leo knows that Takumi is stronger than he is (the difference between working with a bow and tomes is quite obvious is the flex of muscle in Takumi’s arms compared to Leo’s). Eventually Takumi gives up with a loud exhale and flops back against Leo’s legs. His hair drapes across the ground and Leo can feel the press of Takumi’s bangs against his palm but Leo ignores the warmth beginning to crawl up his hand and stifles the way his magic is beginning to unsettle. 

“Fine.” Takumi hisses, petulant, and closes his eyes. Leo keeps his hand on Takumi’s forehead, in case it’s a trick, but he can feel when Takumi begins to relax ever so slightly. The tense way he is holding himself eases first in his expression and then in his shoulders until his breath evens out and huffs into the lulls of dreaming. 

Leo lets go then, threading his fingers through Takumi’s bangs. Takumi mumbles, still sleeping and Leo watches, fascinated, by the way Takumi’s eyelashes flutter in sleep. His eyelashes are blond, unlike the straw-color of his hair and Leo instinctively touches a hand to his dark hair. He misses the familiar comfort of blonde hair, similar to Elise and Xander’s looks. Camilla and Corrin had been the only siblings in his family without blonde hair and Leo misses his. 

Leo is distracted from his thoughts by Takumi’s whimper. Leo looks down at the way Takumi’s brow is pinched and his lips are parted. Takumi shivers, trembling against Leo’s legs, and the tremors wrack through his body so violently Leo wonders briefly if there’s been an earthquake. But no, it appears Takumi is having a nightmare. 

Leo tries to soothe the wrinkles out of Takumi’s forehead with his thumb. Takumi sighs against the touch but then, almost a second later, he cries out again, trembling and curling in on himself. Leo tries to shush him, but Takumi doesn’t hear, until, finally, with a shout, Takumi’s eyes snap open and a tear trickles down his cheek. 

“Takumi, it was just a bad dream.” Leo says, hoping to convey his calm.

Takumi’s eyes move to lock on Leo and he blinks, confused, “Leon?” 

Leo nods. “You’re here with me. It’s alright.” 

Takumi nods distractedly, moving a hand to wipe roughly at his cheek before he sits up and scoots away from Leo so they are no longer touching. Leo immediately notices the lack of warmth. 

They sit in silence for a while, Takumi looking off into the distance and Leo looking at Takumi. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Leo asks, hoping Takumi will say yes but also fearing he won’t. 

Takumi says nothing for a long time. “My mother,” he begins. “I had a dream about my mother.” 

Leo winces. He remembers that Queen Mikoto had been killed in Corrin’s attack on Hoshido’s capital square. He wants to say he understands the loss of a mother, seeing as his own is no longer alive, but Leo’s memories of his mother are not fond ones. He doesn’t have many fond memories of his childhood; the only memories he cherishes are the times he spent with Xander, Camilla, Corrin and Elise. There are even a few with Father, but most of those involve coming back from bloody missions and Leo had been filled with adrenaline at succeeding and earning Father’s praise that to look at them now, Leo only thinks of all the death he’d witnessed, been a hand in creating, and he swallows. 

“I’m sorry.” Leo says, then immediately bites his tongue. 

Takumi doesn’t seem to notice the slip for he nods, looking pale again. “I watched her die… protecting that—that _traitor_.” Here is expression morphs into fury and Leo can’t even muster up the desire to defend Corrin because Takumi’s expression crumbles into devastation and Leo has never seen anyone look that crushed and hopeless before. 

Leo takes Takumi’s hand, the first time he’s initiated any hand-holding since they started meeting up, and clasped their hands together. Takumi stares absently down at them without a word and they sit there in silence until Takumi has calmed down. 

Takumi breaks their hands apart and stands, Leo mimics him. His expression is back to normal but he still looks sad. He meets Leo’s gaze and says, “This is the last time we can meet.” 

Leo blinks, struck suddenly by the fact that they’ve been meeting for going on two weeks now. He’d forgotten that Takumi was going to be joining the Hoshidan army again, and he’d forgotten that he’d been trying to learn secrets about said army from Takumi. The real reason they were meeting. He feels chastened and horrified by the revelation that he’d been _enjoying_ his meetings with Takumi—Prince Takumi of Hoshido—and that they were now coming to an end and he’d learned _absolutely nothing_. 

Takumi looks uncomfortable as he shuffles from side to side before he sighs, inhales, and then raises his chin, determination in his eyes, “I’ll be in a village near Cheve in Nohr in a month. I—” Takumi flushes and hurries on, “if you’d like to meet me there we can continue these meetings. They’ve helped me relax and think some things over. I think they are good for me.” 

Then, Takumi does something Leo has never seen him do before, and least of all for him, he bows. It’s stiff and jerky and looks unrehearsed but he does it and Leo is so surprised he nearly asks Takumi to raise his head and to _never do that again_ because Takumi shouldn’t ever bow to him. (Or anyone at all; his pride and strength should never let him.) But he doesn’t say anything because Takumi turns on his heel and stalks off and Leo is left to watch him go. 

But Leo has a learned that the Hoshidan army is indeed entering Nohr, and that they are headed for Cheve. If he goes back to the castle now to report his findings, they can gather information about why the Hoshidans are focusing their efforts on Cheve and they can gain the upper hand. 

The crushing relief that he hasn’t failed his mission or his father is almost as strong as the warmth that floods him at the thought of meeting up with Prince Takumi again. 

\-------

Corrin returns from the mission but Garon sends all of them out again on another almost as soon as they all return to Castle Krakenburg. Leo bids Elise and Corrin goodbye as they head to Notre Sagesse, falling into step with Camilla as Garon next addresses the both of them. 

“Leo, you have news about a possible rebellion in Cheve?” 

Leo nods, relaying the information he had gathered after learning about Takumi’s plans to arrive in a village near Cheve. It had been simple to discover that the reason the Hoshidan army was congregating there was to support the minor rebellion in Cheve. There had been rumors before of a possible rebellion, but Leo had discovered the truth of the matter through Takumi. 

A slide of guilt slicks down his spine in response to Father’s pleased grin. He’s never felt as though he need feel guilty about what he’s done in the name of his kingdom. But the guilt he feels now is due to the fact that he has broken the trust that Takumi had instilled in him. 

Camilla seems to sense his unease for she presses up against Leo’s side and reaches a hand behind them both to take one of Leo’s hands where they are clasped behind his back. He is reminded of the handholding he’d done with Takumi and, strangely, where he had never found comfort in touch before, he finds comfort in it now. 

“Leo, I order you both to take stock of the rebellion in Cheve. Do not make yourself known, just tell me how big the rebellion is and who is leading it. Return when you have those questions answered.” 

Leo nods, turning to leave after the clear dismissal. Camilla squeezes his hand before he leaves, staying behind to receive her own assignment.

As he exits the throne room, Leo comes upon Iago standing outside the door. Iago flashes Leo a creepy smile and Leo scoffs in disgust at the sight. Leo has never liked Iago, or Zola, they share the same disgusting aura. Their magic feels slimy and sickly whenever Leo is near them. Iago’s magic is a dark purple, similar to Xander’s but without Xander’s reassuring power and calm. Iago’s magic just feels slimy as it stretches to lick at the edges of Leo’s own magical aura. 

Leo takes an instinctive step back, to get out of range and glares evenly at his father’s right hand. “Iago.” 

“Little prince Leo, a pleasure as always.” Iago purrs. “You’ll be returning to spy and gather intel about Cheve.” 

“Those were indeed Father’s orders.” 

“Hmm, and did he say anything about your source?” 

Leo pauses, eyes narrowing and heart beating a little more quickly, but he doesn’t rise to the bait. “My sources are my own. Father does not care as long as I get results.”

Iago’s smile widens. “He might, if he learned you’ve been consorting with the young prince of Hoshido.” 

Leo’s magic lashes out before he can really think about it. His fingers light up with purple mist and Iago flinches back from the pressure. Brynhildr buzzes in Leo’s other hand, crying out to be used to strike down Leo’s enemies. Leo can see Iago’s poor excuse of his magic shimmering around his body. It’s nowhere near as strong as Leo’s, but Iago is a formidable dark mage in his own right, and though Leo has no doubts that if it came down to it, he could kill Iago if they dueled, it would be a long and hard-fought battle. 

So he sticks to intimidation. “You know I am stronger than you, Iago.” Leo says, voice even, cold and steel. “Do not presume to think that Father’s opinion of you will stay my hand. If I do not wish you to live, I will see to it that you don’t. You will not threaten me.” 

Iago sneers, but steps back. Leo lets his magic retreat back from his fingers; the mist disappears. Brynhildr shakes with barely contained bloodlust, but Leo calms it with a pat. He turns and does not spare another glance for the worm, as he exits the corridor. 

He’ll need to visit Zola before he heads out to Cheve to don his disguise again. 

\------

Leo stays in Cheve long enough to witness the battle between Takumi and Corrin. He’d sent back to the castle tidbits of information with his retainers while he remained. If he’s honest, it’s so he can catch sight of Takumi and approach him again so they can continue their meetings, but he tells himself he stays to make sure that whomever Father sends to settle the rebellion does not die trying. 

He is surprised to see that Father has sent Corrin, accompanied by Elise and Camilla, and he is also surprised to see that it is Takumi who greets them. 

Takumi looks different. That is Leo’s first thought. His face is contorted with rage that shouldn’t look so strange on his face, considering those were the expression he wore when Leo had first seen him. But watching Takumi ridicule, shout threats and hatred, makes Leo stare and think, _this isn’t the Takumi I know._

When the battle is over, the complete and utter disbelief in Takumi’s eyes at having been defeated pulls at Leo’s heart. Takumi looks as though he can’t understand how he lost, but Leo could point out all of his mistakes. He let his anger control him. He didn’t properly cooperate with his companions. He was distracted by fighting Corrin, and only Corrin, that he didn’t think to fight easier targets, such as Camilla on her wyvern. 

Takumi flees and Leo watches him go, feeling as though he has watched a stranger fight with Takumi’s face. 

\-------

When he finds Takumi in the village near Cheve a few days later, Leo is overjoyed to see that he looks the way he had back in Hoshido. But Leo freezes in shock at the sight he sees, and when Takumi catches sight of him, his eyes lighting up and he runs over to greet Leo, Leo blurts out, 

“You’re purple.” 

Takumi pauses mid step in front of Leo, looking confused. “What do you mean, ‘I’m purple’?” 

Leo can’t say anything else because his eyes are trained on Takumi’s aura, and the usual blank, colorless aura that had become something of a comfort now flashed a deep, dark purple and it set Leo on edge just watching it. 

It was lifeless and icky, like sludge, and it clung to Takumi in a way that made Leo’s skin crawl. 

“Leon?” 

Leo blinks and gets himself under control. “Nothing, sorry, just a little tired from traveling.” He lies and smiles for Takumi. “It’s good to see you again. I missed the Takumi that has his friend help him get dressed.”

Takumi flushes and then glares. “Stop teasing me.” 

Leo smirks. “You like when I tease you.” 

Takumi’s now flushing and glaring and Leo takes that as a win. They find a secluded place to sit. 

Takumi’s new purple aura sloshes in Leo’s periphery and Leo can’t help but let his eyes linger on the sight of it. It just doesn’t look _right._ He knows that he once thought the same because of Takumi’s lack of magical aura, but now, staring at this… this fake impersonation of one just makes Leo feel disgusted, and horrified. 

“Have you done any training with magic recently?” Leo asks abruptly, eyes watching the slick, purple sludge as it hovers around Takumi. 

Takumi looks surprised. “I read a few of those books you recommended, but other than using my magic bow I haven’t practiced any magic. Should I have?”

Leo doesn’t take his eyes off the way the purple sludge rises and floats and then falls. It’s disconcerting. It’s nothing like Xander’s purple aura, which resembles fog and a storm all at once. Or Elise’s magical sun. Or even Camilla’s faint, rosy halo. 

Takumi takes notice that Leo isn’t really paying attention and presses a hand to Leo’s arm. Leo’s eyes snap to where their skin is touching and heat crawls up his face. “You okay?” Takumi asks, concerned. 

Leo swallows his trepidation, “I’m fine.” He insists, gently rolling his arm so Takumi’s hand falls away. 

They spend the rest of their time together talking about minor things. Takumi talks about his siblings, mentioning that his elder brother returned from a fight looking more pensive than when he’d left, and Leo awkwardly adds a half-truth, half-lie about his travels. He doesn’t mention having watched Takumi’s battle against Corrin, but he admits that he had spent some time in Cheve. 

Takumi’s expression darkens when Leo brings up Cheve, and Leo watches with growing alarm as the purple aura around Takumi darkens with him. The sludge seems to cling even harder to Takumi’s frame, and Leo almost wants to grab it and yank it off. He knows that won’t do any good. He can’t physically touch a magical aura, let alone try to get it off someone, but staring at it and watching it bubble the way it is makes Leo wish he could. 

“You’ve been staring at me strangely.” Takumi says, looking at Leo with a frown. “Are you going to tell me why?” 

Leo evades. “I’m a little tired from travelling; if it looks like I’m staring I apologize.” 

Takumi doesn’t look like he believes Leo but he doesn’t press again. Instead he asks, “How long will you stay in the village this time?” 

Leo hesitates before admitting, “Tonight only.” He’s spent too much time in Cheve already, he needs to return to Castle Krakenburg and to Father. Father had planned to attend the festivities in Nestra again, and he’d insisted that Leo join him this time.

Takumi protests. “Couldn’t you stay for one more night!? Just a little longer?” His eyes are wide and pleading and Leo is taken aback by the honest emotion in Takumi’s eyes. Leo chokes on his own emotions, wishing to rise up and swallow him. He doesn’t have a name for the warmth that floods him at the sight he sees in Takumi’s eyes, and he won’t let the emotion be named. If Takumi ever found out his real identity… this tentative friendship would cave, and crumble under Takumi’s ire and betrayal. 

_He’s already lost so much already, I’d rather he not lose a friendship._ He doesn’t admit that he’d rather not lose a friendship either. 

“I can’t.” He says instead, hoping to convey his apology with his tone of voice. Takumi looks away, mouth a flat line and arms shaking. 

“Will you at least consent to meeting me again in Hoshido?” Takumi turns to look back at Leo, hope in his eyes. “There’s still so many things I want to talk to you about, and so many books I want to show you, I--”

“I can’t.” Leo says, more firmly this time. Emotion is crawling up his throat and he won’t let it escape because he can’t let it. If he voices it, how will he be able to keep his allegiance to Nohr knowing half of himself is here with Takumi? “I’m going away. Back to my homeland.” _It’s not a complete lie,_ Leo thinks. 

Takumi’s face opens, crumbles away into that vulnerability Leo saw over Queen Mikoto, and when Leo talked with him about his self-doubt. Leo’s chest tightens because he realizes that _he_ put that look there. 

“You’re going away.” Takumi breathes, and his arms tremble. His aura darkens further and Leo flinches back at the way it climbs and shudders and sways. “You’re going to leave me just like Mother did…”

“What? Takumi no it’s not like that.” _Isn’t it, though?_ Leo thinks. _Will you ever be able to meet him again in this form? You are Prince Leo of Nohr. That is your identity. If he knew, he’d hate you. Would you even want to meet him again as yourself?_

Takumi is shaking and his eyes are wide and his aura is rises up like it wants to swallow him and Leo panics. 

He lunges forward. All his mind is thinking is: I can’t let him be consumed by his fear. 

It’s rough, and Takumi isn’t prepared for it, and frankly neither is Leo. Takumi is breathing too harshly and Leo has no idea what he’s doing with his mouth, but he presses into Takumi determinedly, willing and pushing away the fear with his lips and his touch. 

The slick edge of Takumi’s aura slips and slides across Leo’s and Leo shivers when it touches his aura. It’s cold, and dark and nothing he’s ever felt before and Leo wants to pull away immediately but he holds on to Takumi like a lifeline and Takumi finally, finally, responds. 

His fingers clench in Leo’s robes, tugging, holding, clutching for dear life as he tilts up and pushes against Leo now too. His slick aura shrivels and backs away and Leo finds he can breathe again. He can hear Takumi gasping against him, and he curls a hand around Takumi’s neck and pulls him in for more. 

Their mouths part with a slick pop and Leo looks down into Takumi’s red face. They are both breathing heavily and Takumi’s eyes are still too wide but they have a glazed sheen and his aura no longer looks like it is trying to choke him. 

Leo sits back, one hand still cupped around the back of Takumi’s neck and lets his breathing settle. Then he speaks, “You are strong, Takumi. The Fuujin Yumi wouldn’t have chosen you for its master if you weren’t. You can stand head to head with your siblings, you just need to believe that you can.” 

Takumi blinks and then pales. “How did you know I’m the wielder of the Fuujin Yumi?” 

Leo doesn’t answer, he just shakes his head and makes sure Takumi is looking at him when he says, “You can’t let your insecurity control you. You are stronger than it.” 

Leo gets to his feet then, finally letting go of Takumi. Takumi still has a hold on Leo’s shirt so he gently takes Takumi’s hand and pries it off of him. “I have to go now. Remember what I said Takumi.” 

Then Leo turns and walks away. And he doesn’t look back. 

\------

Leo joins Corrin at Nestra, and then Xander joins them later so that the Nohrian siblings are all together again. Leo is happy to be together with his family again, but just as he feared part of him still longs to be beside Takumi. He wants to know if Takumi took his words to heart. If he’s still having nightmares about his mother. If he’s still reading those magical theory books Leo had recommended to him. 

Leo wonders if he’s found a new Leon to share these things with. 

When they see each other again, Leo is the Prince of Nohr and Takumi is the Prince of Hoshido and everything is as it should have been. Leo is horrified to see that Takumi’s aura has changed again, grown in fact. It’s pulsing now, nearly obscuring him from view entirely. It laps at his body like it’s trying to eat him and Leo wants to grab him and pull him from its grasp.

But then Zola, the pitiful whelp, reveals his disgusting plan and captures the Hoshidans in honor of Nohr. Leo sneers his disgust at the dark mage, but focuses his attention on releasing the Hoshidans. 

Leo wants to check on Takumi, but he knows that Takumi will not be happy to see him, so he joins Corrin as they confront Zola. The little idiot begs for his life and Leo, unable to look at him any longer, ends it. It’s a mercy killing, he thinks, an undeserved one, but one indeed. Leo doesn’t even twitch when Corrin protests against his actions.

What’s done is done, and the Hoshidans and Izana are freed from their prisons. Izana still thinks it’s a good idea to continue their shared, neutral dinner, even if the two royal families continue to send daggers across the table at each other. 

Leo sits across from Takumi, watching him hesitantly. He doesn’t want to continue the impression he gave when they’d first met, because it’s not the impression he wants to give. He wants to show that he cares about Takumi (if not his siblings), but he doesn’t know how.

So instead, he quips back and forth across the table with the other prince like they should have been doing, like they hate each other, and Takumi does, Leo can see it in his eyes. He can see how much Takumi hates them, hates _him_ and all Leo can see is the Takumi he’d spent two weeks with, and that one, special day near Cheve. 

He wants those days back again. 

\-------

It takes Leo too long to discover what Takumi’s new, purple aura is. By the time Leo realizes what it is, Takumi’s already too far gone. Leo’s last look of him is his body as he falls into the ravine.

Memories of Takumi flash across Leo’s eyes. Takumi falling on him, sharing books with him, sitting shoulder to shoulder, holding hands, teasing Takumi, kissing Takumi. Leo sags in his seat atop his horse, finding himself unable to properly come to terms with the fact that Takumi, that Takumi he’d spent time with, is actually gone. 

Elise comes up beside him, her face grimy and her usual sunny aura is dimmed with shared grief. She may not have liked Takumi, but she can still grieve for him. 

“Are you okay, Leo?” She asks, reaching out her hand. Leo takes it, her magical aura reaches out like a caress, yellow light dazzling and soothing and Leo grips tight to her hand. 

“No.” He admits. “Let’s just end this.” 

He can’t grieve openly for the boy he’d spent those days with, but he can keep his memories close to his chest. If he remembers Takumi as he was, before the possession, and before he’d lost his mind, maybe it will ease the pain.

It’s all he can do to keep from falling apart.

**Author's Note:**

> Leo's secret identity is Leon because he and I are not creative.


End file.
